Optical fibers may be contaminated and/or damaged during the manufacturing process. For example, the optical fibers may chip, crack, or splinter during a cleaving process. Other processes, such as stripping, cleaning, etc., may leave particulate or fluid contaminants on the fibers. Such damage and/or contamination can reduce signal quality of optical signals carried over the optical fibers. Damage and/or contaminants also may cause problems when the optical fibers are terminated at optical connectors or when the optical fibers are mated/demated with other optical fibers.